‘Coaching netball is my passion’

“I LOVE coaching netball. It is my passion. I just find joy in moulding young lives through sports,” Carline Graham-Powell, coach of Holmwood Technical High School’s netball teams, told The Gleaner in a recent interview.

Graham-Powell is undoubtedly the most successful coach of the sport at the high school level. When her team defeated St Catherine High recently in the all-island senior finals it was her 11th title. In addition she has won 14 rural senior titles, one all-island junior and four rural junior titles.

“I spent many years learning from the late C. Lloyd Walker, a former national under-21 head coach. Once you love what you do, then you will go beyond the call of duty to reap success,” Graham-Powell said.

Graham-Powell, who has been coaching at Holmwood since 1995, has had success elsewhere. She has coached Manchester Spurs in the local Super League competition for two years, the national under-16 team on three occasions, and Church Teachers’ College who won the junior intercollegiate title with her at the helm.

“Since I have been coaching at Holmwood, nine of my past players have gone on to make the senior national team while several have also gone on to make the young Sunshine Girls team,” she said.

Despite losing to Manchester High in the rural junior finals, she was proud of their overall achievement.“I am happy to have brought back the juniors to the rural finals since they were defending champions. I knew winning the title would have been very difficult but I had my eyes set on the all-island senior title and I am happy that we were able to bring back the title to the school after two years,” she said.

Next year’s season is far away but Graham Powell is already warning her rivals that she will be hunting both rural and all-island titles in 2024.

“I am looking forward, with God’s help, to dominate next year. Seven of my senior players will be back and I will be losing just one junior player, so I am pushing for both all-island titles,” a confident Graham-Powell said.

Raymond Graham